Monday and Tuesday, October 9 and 10
We've moved to Kirtland Air Force Base on Monday. We spent the day cleaning the RV, washing Clothes, packing two boxes of (mostly Clara's) clothes to send back home, and generally getting ready to leave.
Tuesday, we will put the RV in storage and spend Tuesday night at a hotel (which I really don't look forward to). Wednesday morning to fly back to Raleigh to pick up the Grandkids and go to Spruce Pine for a week, then back to Beaufort.
It's been a great trip. We've learned a lot.
One of the main things we've learned is that we think we need to bring our own car the next time. We can get the RV and car rigged to tow. Then we have much more flexibility as to when we come, when we leave, and what we can do while traveling. I had initially thought that renting a car would work, but there is a lot of inconvenience. Primarily, I hate to be tied down to a schedule and making an airline flight.
We've covered 4095.5 miles since leaving Beaufort, NC.
We have experienced temperatures that range from 105 degrees to the high 30's. We have seen and done some amazing things. We have renewed acquaintances with some great friends from the past and met many wonderful people. We have learned a lot about traveling in an RV (both of us love it, that's the reason we're leaving the RV in Albuquerque). We will be back soon for more exploration of this wonderful country and its incredible beauty. I don't know how many years it will take us to see it all, but until we either get tired of it or get to old to do it, we will continue to explore and experience.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
Thursday, Oct 6
We are arriving near the end of this journey - The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
We follow the signs and find the largest RV park I've ever seen - supposedly over 2,800 RVs of one sort or another, maybe more.
Thursday, the weather was cloudy and windy, so we picked up our rental car and started checking out places to store the RV. We found what we are satisfied with and will check the RV in next Tuesday.
Thursday evening, we took the shuttle over to the main part of the festivities (about a mile away) and walked around for a while. It was nothing like I expected. It resembled a fair more than anything, with all kinds of food and vendors.
Friday, October 7
Clara went back to the fair and I stayed at the motorhome. In the last few miles before we got here, something threw a pebble against the front windshield and put a little dent. Luckily, there is a mobile glass repair vendor here on site and I made arrangements for him to fix it this morning (it was covered by insurance).
This afternoon we went to a huge crafts fair a few miles from here. It had some of the most original and interesting arts and crafts I've ever seen.
The weather has been rainy both last night and today. No balloons flying.
Friday night, we crashed at the RV and watched a couple movies.
Saturday, October 8
Today is the day. The weather is perfect and we were excited to see our first ever dawn patrol and mass ascension.
We got up well before sunrise and took the shuttle to the main launch field.
It was worth the trip!!!!!
Then the Mass Ascension!!!!
Over 300-400 (we heard that there were 480 balloons registered) balloons of all sizes and shapes took to the air. All launching within about an hour!
Some of the balloons were "special shape". They were really crowd pleasers.
Now I understand what all the hoopla about this festival is all about. This mornings launch was an incredible spectacle with drama, color, beauty and absurdity.
This afternoon we rode our bikes to the Balloon Museum and joined a group on a fascinating tour of the place. It was a great museum.
Saturday night we went back for the "AfterGlow" and fireworks show. It was beyond incredible. We took hundreds of pictures - and then Sunday morning, we went back for the "Farewell Mass Ascension".
I have no idea how many balloons went up in this mornings ascension, but there were a lot more than Saturdays.
There is no way that I could show the incredible spectacle through pictures on the blog - it would never load.
I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed being in a position to take them. The Fiesta is an incredible event and an absolutely perfect way to top off this incredible journey of two months. And the journey to get here has been the trip of a lifetime.
We've covered 4095.5 miles since leaving Beaufort, NC.
To help top off this journey, this afternoon we were driving to Kirtland AFB to check out the RV park where we will stay our final night in the RV on this trip, and suddenly we started seeing jets flying around. I quickly recognized them as the Air Force Thunderbirds. They are having an airshow at Kirkland today, and we've been so involved and so busy doing all the great things we've done, we never heard about it.
Bucket List - So Far!
We are arriving near the end of this journey - The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
We follow the signs and find the largest RV park I've ever seen - supposedly over 2,800 RVs of one sort or another, maybe more.
 |
| We're parked about the middle of 1 of 3 RV sites at the festival. I took this from the roof of our RV. The view is only a small fraction of the RVs in this one part. |
Thursday evening, we took the shuttle over to the main part of the festivities (about a mile away) and walked around for a while. It was nothing like I expected. It resembled a fair more than anything, with all kinds of food and vendors.
Friday, October 7
Clara went back to the fair and I stayed at the motorhome. In the last few miles before we got here, something threw a pebble against the front windshield and put a little dent. Luckily, there is a mobile glass repair vendor here on site and I made arrangements for him to fix it this morning (it was covered by insurance).
This afternoon we went to a huge crafts fair a few miles from here. It had some of the most original and interesting arts and crafts I've ever seen.
The weather has been rainy both last night and today. No balloons flying.
Friday night, we crashed at the RV and watched a couple movies.
Saturday, October 8
Today is the day. The weather is perfect and we were excited to see our first ever dawn patrol and mass ascension.
We got up well before sunrise and took the shuttle to the main launch field.
It was worth the trip!!!!!
 |
| Dawn Patrol |
Over 300-400 (we heard that there were 480 balloons registered) balloons of all sizes and shapes took to the air. All launching within about an hour!
Some of the balloons were "special shape". They were really crowd pleasers.
 |
| One of my favorites. |
 |
| The stagecoach got inflated, but for some reason never flew. |
 |
| The whale eats the balloon |
 |
| Who says Pigs can't Fly The crowds were incredible. Thousands of people got up before sunrise to see this. |
 |
| Two balloons kissing! |
Now I understand what all the hoopla about this festival is all about. This mornings launch was an incredible spectacle with drama, color, beauty and absurdity.
This afternoon we rode our bikes to the Balloon Museum and joined a group on a fascinating tour of the place. It was a great museum.
Saturday night we went back for the "AfterGlow" and fireworks show. It was beyond incredible. We took hundreds of pictures - and then Sunday morning, we went back for the "Farewell Mass Ascension".
I have no idea how many balloons went up in this mornings ascension, but there were a lot more than Saturdays.
There is no way that I could show the incredible spectacle through pictures on the blog - it would never load.
I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed being in a position to take them. The Fiesta is an incredible event and an absolutely perfect way to top off this incredible journey of two months. And the journey to get here has been the trip of a lifetime.
We've covered 4095.5 miles since leaving Beaufort, NC.
To help top off this journey, this afternoon we were driving to Kirtland AFB to check out the RV park where we will stay our final night in the RV on this trip, and suddenly we started seeing jets flying around. I quickly recognized them as the Air Force Thunderbirds. They are having an airshow at Kirkland today, and we've been so involved and so busy doing all the great things we've done, we never heard about it.
Bucket List - So Far!
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